1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to simulators. In particular, the present invention relates to a portable radar simulator which when connected to a microwave transmitter will generate pulsed signals of multiple pulse repetition frequencies for testing the sensitivity of a radar receiver.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Man has engaged in war on the land, in the sea, in the air and in the electromagnetic spectrum. The electromagnetic spectrum has been used by the military for improved communications, the guidance of aircraft and missiles and the navigation of ships and planes. A nation seeks control of the electromagnetic spectrum because of the military's increasing dependency on its use for surveillance of potential enemy forces, communications between military units, detection of enemy military forces and the guidance and control of aeroplanes and missiles. With a mystery of the electromagnetic spectrum an adversary could achieve an indispensable ingredient for conquering an enemy or discouraging a potential aggressor.
There are two types of electronic warfare equipment, active and passive. Active equipment radiates its own energy whereas passive equipment does not. The passive category includes reconnaissance or surveillance equipment that detects and analyzes the electromagnetic radiation that is produced by radar and communications transmitters aboard aircraft, missiles, ships, satellites and ground installations. The reconnaissance devices may be used to identify and map the location of the emitters without in any way altering the nature of the signal they receive.
Certain types of passive electronic warfare systems enhance or change the nature of the electromagnetic energy reflected back to the enemy radars without generating any signal of their own. Active electronic warfare systems generate energy or delay the received signals to confuse the enemy's electromagnetic sensors.
A radar warning receiver is a passive type of electronic warfare equipment which is not used over the entire range of the electromagnetic spectrum. The radar warning receiver alerts the pilot or ship's captain that his aircraft or ship is being illuminated by a specific radar signal. Once the pilot or captain has been alerted that his vehicle has been detected by radar he can maneuver his vehicle to evade the threat or initiate certain electronic warfare countermeasures. Electronic warfare countermeasures include all actions taken by the pilot or ship's captain to nullify the effective operation of the enemy's electronic warfare equipment. Some electronic countermeasures used are jamming the enemy's signal, the dropping of chaff and the launching of decoys.
Electronic warfare equipment and in particular radar receivers on military aircraft are expensive, complex and difficult to test. In order to test such systems, and also to train operators on them, systems and techniques have been developed for simulating a field of radar signals which are applied to the receiver. A complete simulator is often complex requiring a very large amount of electronic equipment to simulate the radio frequency energy/radar signals applied to the receiver. In addition, prior art simulators often only test a portion of the receiver by providing a simplified partial simulation that is not a real life simulation. Another disadvantage of prior art simulators used to test radar receivers is that these simulators require highly trained and skilled operators to operate them.
Therefore, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for generating radar signals at different frequencies over a given frequency range, without the limitations of the prior art simulators discussed above in a real life simulation of an environment of electromagnetic signals and a realistic verification of radar receiver sensitivity.